HOW THE ADMIRAL ESCAPED.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 195, 28 July 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

HOW THE ADMIRAL ESCAPED.

ADMIRAL LIMPI'S' ADVENTURE WITH THE TURKS.

Admiral Sir Arhtur limpus, who recently received his K.C.M.G. from the hands of Irs Majesty at Buckingham Palace, had a curious and interesting experience at Constantinople at the time when the Turkish Government went over to Germany against the Allies.

Sir Arthur, it will be recalled, was lout to the Ottoman Government a few year? ago by the British Admiralty for the purpose of reconstructing the Turkish Navy.

When Admral Limpus went out to Constantinople he took w : th him a staff of British officers, and during the few years of their residence in the Sultan's capital the relations between all these gentlemen and the high officials of the Sultan's entourage were very cordial.

WHEN THE SI'LTAN'S DECISION CAME.

The Admiral himself became on very friendly terms with his neighbours, most of them pashas and beys of the old school, ex-officers, some of them, living in atfuent retirement, and tacitly at least opposed to the politics of Envoi- Pasha and his associates. One or two of these gentlemen, indeed, had been educated in England, and all were quietly British in their sympathies. There were, however, other members of this aristocratic Turkish community who were openly anti-British, and with them the English Admiral's relations wero purely formal and almost strained. Then came the time when the Sultan's decision to jom our enemies showed itself irrevocable, and Sir ArthurLimpiis and the officers of his staff having tendered their resignation prepared to leave Constantinople. Hostilities had not yet begun. A FRIENDLY WARNING. On the eve :-f embarking the Admiral was surprised to receive a visit from one of the most anti-British of all his neighbours. But lie was still more astonished when his visitor nervously disclosed the object of his call. It was, he explained, his desire to give Sir Arthur a friendly but earnest warning. "The vessels of this steamship company," he slid, "are bad seacraft and are not well found. Sometimes even they are far from safe. My master (a friend of Envoi; Pasha's) desires me to cypress to you his earnest hope that you wMI not embark to-morrow on the ship. It is unlikely that she will have prosperous voyage. "He further desires me to say thai he tenders you tilts advice merely as from one gentleman to another." The intimation was received as it had been intended. Much of the baggage of the English travellers was left on board the steamer, but they themselves were nfssiug when the vessel sailed at dawn, and were instead steaming merrily down the Marmora in a launch lent them for the purpose. They passed safely through the Dardanelles and were taken on board a British ship that met them outside. The steamship carrying their luggage met with an accident. She unaccountably blew up and sank inside the straits, not far from Gallipoli.